This museum is situated on the hill formerly known as Arin-Berd, the site of the ruins of the fortress-city Erebuni founded by Argishti 1 son of Menua, king of Urartu in the year 782 B.C. The museum was officially opened to the public in 1968, which was the 2750th anniversary of the founding of Erebuni. The city of Yerevan traces its birth to the same date. Yerevan got its birth certificate given by the King Argishti, which has been preserved till nowadays.

National Gallery of Armenia

The museum situated in the center of Yerevan in the Republic Square and is one of the leading art museums of the South Caucasus region. Its collections include outstanding examples of Armenian, Russian and West European works. Guests of the Armenian capital have the opportunity to view the canvases by Aivazovsky (Aivazian) , Donatello, Tintoretto, Fragonard, Courbet, Serov, Yakulov, Sarian. All together the museum houses more than twenty thousand paintings, sculptures and pieces of graphic art in its collection.

Matenadaran

The Institute of Ancient Manuscripts is located on Mashtots Avenue, one of the main arteries of the city. The museum is named after Mesrob Mashtots, the creator of the Armenian Alphabet. Matenadaran-which means “depository of manuscripts library” – is one of the oldest and richest book-depositories in the world, which includes about 17000 Armenian illuminated manuscripts, some dating back to the 5th century AD. Its collection pertaining to all branches of knowledge, to ancient and medieval Armenia, the people of the Middle and near East, North Africa, Greece and Rome. The largest Armenian manuscript in the world is the “HOMILIES OF MUSH” which is created in 1200 and weighs 27.5 kg, and the smallest is a CALENDAR, which weighs only 19 grams.

Due to its historical and cultural significance, the Matenadaran is a world heritage site protected by UNESCO and the Memory of the World program.

History Museum of Armenia

The History Museum of Armenia was founded in 1919 but was opened to the public only two years later, on August 20, 1921. Since its establishment, it has been named differently. Back in 1920s it was known as the State Central Museum of Armenia, in early 1930s as the Cultural-Historical Museum, while in middle 1930s as just the Historical Museum. In 1962 was named the State History Museum of Armenia and from that day up to the year 2003 it was known as so. The museum acquired its present-day official name in 2003, which goes as follows “History Museum of Armenia.”

The museum was initially formed relying collections of the Armenian Ethnographical Association of the Caucasus, Nor Nakhidjevan M useum of Armenian Antiquities, Museum of Antiquities of Ani and Vagharshapat Repository of Ancient Manuscripts.

In 1935 a decision to establish two separate museums was made. The decision was due to
the museum’s collection, and, as a result, the present-day National Gallery of Armenia with 1660 objects and the present day Museum of Literature with 301 objects and 1298 manuscripts were formed. Years later in 1978 the State Museum of Ethnography featuring 1428 objects and 584 photographs came to existence.

The museum includes 400,000 objects presented in four departments.

Archaeology

Ethnography

Numismatics

Documents

The museum gives a thorough picture of the ancient times. In line with that, Armenia’s culture from pre-historic times up to the present days is introduced. The museum’s collection is beyond a doubt a rare one with traces of such eastern countries in the Armenian Highland as Egypt, Assyria, Byzantine Empire and so forth. 3rd-2nd millennia BC bronze specimens are presented in the museum. Other than that, the museum features the following treasures:

cuneiform inscriptions, bronze statuettes, wall-paintings, painted ceramics and weapons with sculptural ornamentation, unique specimens of gold from the powerful Armenian state of Urartu,

inscription of 782 BC stating about the foundation of Erebuni (Yerevan) by King Argishti I,

ancient evidence of the history of transport, 15th-14th century BC wooden carts and chariots, excavated from Lchashen, and their miniature models in bronze,

specimens of transformation of the Hellenistic culture in Armenia, excavated from the archaeological sites of Garni, Artashat and Oshakan,

architectural, sculptural and ceramic findings from the cities of Dvin and Ani, from the fortress of Amberd introducing the 4th-5th-century Christian culture of Armenia.

The museum has published a number of significant works particularly regarding Armenian architecture, ethnography, history and of course archaeological excavations. Overall, the museum is but the documentary introduction of the history of Armenia, in this respect the museum trustworthily carries its name.

State Museum of Armenian History

Republic square was founded in 1921. It has 160.000 exhibits. The museum’s rich collection reflect all phases of the Paleolithic period, beginning from over one million years ago to the Mesolithic and the Neolithic periods until the present, (implements from the Urartu civilization, statuettes, coins). The collections of the 18th-20th centuries represent the life and customs of all the ethnographic regions of Armenia. In the ethnic section of the museum, visitors will find the traditional dress, carpets, amulets and farming implements of great interest.

Komitas Museum-Institute

Komitas Museum-Institute was opened in Yerevan in 2014 coinciding with the proclaiming of the Year of Komitas on the 145th birth anniversary of the great composer.

The Armenian Government has decided to establish a Komitas Museum-Institute to create favorable conditions for collecting information about the life and work of the great Armenian composer, for studying, preserving and popularizing his legacy. It will also serve to protect the traditions of Armenian religious and folk music, promote the development of creative abilities of young people in the field of national, folk, classical and modern music.

Museum of Painter Martiros Saryan

A house-museum has on display 150 works by that wizard of the brush, each painting a passionate declaration of love for his native Armenia.

Museum of Children’s Art

Has a unique collection of pictures from 130 countries. The Modern Art Museum exhibits works of contemporary artists who often blend Armenian traditions with modern European and American art.

House-Museum of Composer Aram Khachatrian

“…I will say that it was rather hard for me to imagine the future house-museum by drafts on paper. From the outside, it is very beautiful and persuasive, but the internal arrangement and design was more difficult to visualize. In general, I liked the project and felt like approving it…”Aram Khachaturian, January 29, 1978, Moscow

The house-museum of Aram Khachaturian is located in Yerevan. The composer had managed to only become acquainted with the drafts of the future museum and express his wishes to a famous architect Edward Altunian, who was asked by the government to start the project order.
The basis for the museum was a large stately house where the elder brother of Aram Khachaturian Vaghinak and his family lived. It was in this house that Aram Khachaturian often stayed whenever he visited Yerevan.The former residence has remained unchanged. The garden has been converted into a small courtyard, where a spring-monument, a gift to the museum from architects S. Gyurzadian and S.Barseghianhas, has been erected. The facade is framed with five arches resembling tuning forks.
The official opening of the museum took place in 1982, after the death of t he composer. The management of the museum was first entrusted to conductor, musical and public figure Goar Agasievna Arutyunian who was succeded by Armine Grigoryan – professor of Yerevan State Conservatory, eminent pianist and winner of International competitions.
Various already traditional events – festivals, commemorative evenings, competitions, meetings with prominent figures of culture, exhibitions take place at the museum each year. Letters, manuscripts of scores, books, records, photos and other materials related to the life and creative work of the genius composer are collected there. The son of A. Khachaturian, Karen, donated to the museum the private things of his father: cabinet, bedroom, dining room, piano, conductor’s tail-coat and baton, letters and many other things from the family archive.Before and after the opening of the house-museum, valuable materials from all over the world were being sent out there. Gradually, the museum was filled with new remainders. One of those exhibits has a very interesting history. It involves a piano, donated to the house-museum by Tigran Mostijian from San Paolo. Once (by the end of the fifties), when the composer toured in South America, a passionate admirer of his creative work T. Mostijian gave a reception in his home in honor of Aram Khachaturian. He bought a piano just because he wanted the composer to touch the keys of the instrument. After Khachaturian had played fragments of his compositions, suddenly, the master of the house gave a nail to the composer so that the latter would scratch his autograph at the piano’s top cover. It took persuading Khachaturian; nevertheless, the signature was put. Today, this piano occupies its modest place in the museum.The house-museum of Aram Khachaturian has a little concert hall with excellent acoustics. The walls of the hall have welcomed the leading performers of chamber genre and young musicians for decades now.
There is a rich library of records in the house-museum – about 2,500 CDs with records of classic and contemporary music. A workshop for the restoration of string instruments is functioning right inside. The museum also includes a National collection of unique musical instruments.

Museum of Folk-Art of Armenia

The State Museum of Folk Art of Armenia is a unique of culture wher specimens of decorative and applied art are preserved and displayed.

It is housed in one of the old Yerevan buildings in the reconstruction and design of which a group of talented folk craftsmen participated. The collection of the museum contains paintings, articles of ceramicas, wood-carving, embroidary, silverware, rugs, carpets, jewelry.

Museum of Sergey Parajanov (Sarkis Paradzhanyantz)

Famous Armenian film – director – was founded by government resolution in 1988. The museum’s exposition consists of more than 250 works, documents and photographs. Parajanov’s aesthetic principles were brought to perfection in movies ,,Kiev Frescos,, (1966), ,,Hakob Hovnatanian,, (1967), ,, The color of Pomegranates,, (,,Sayat-Nova,,-1968) and the ,,Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors,, which first brought him world fame. Within the last few years, the museum has organized 26 exhibitions, including those in Cannes, Greece, Tokyo, Moscow, Rome, Tehran, Peking and other cities.

The Armenian Genocide Museum

The Armenian Genocide Museum opened its doors in 1995, concurrently commemorating the eightieth anniversary of the Genocide. The Museum structure, planned by architects S. Kalashian, A. Tarkhanyan and sculptor F. Araqelyan, has a unique design.

During the decennial activity the Museum received many visitors including schoolchildren, college students and an unprecedented number of tourists both local and abroad.

The museum provides guided tours in Armenian, Russian, English, French and German.

The Republic of Armenia has made visiting the Armenian Genocide Museum part of the official State protocol and many foreign official delegations have already visited the Museum. These delegations have included, Pope John Paul II, President of the Russian Federation V. Putin, President of the Republic of France J. Shirak, and other well-known social and political figures.

The impressive two-story building is built directly into the side of a hill so as not to detract from the imposing presence of the Genocide Monument nearby. The roof of the Museum is flat and covered with concrete tiles. It overlooks the scenic Ararat Valley and majestic Mount Ararat.

The first floor of the Museum is subterranean and houses the administrative, engineering and technical maintenance offices as well as Komitas Hall, which seats 170 people. Here also are situated the storage rooms for museum artifacts and scientific objects, as well as a library and a reading hall. The Museum exhibit is located on the second floor in a space just over 1000 square meters. There are three main indoor exhibit halls and an outer gallery with its own hall.

The Genocide Monument is designed to memorialize the innocent victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century. The Genocide Museum’s mission statement is rooted in the fact that understanding the Armenian Genocide is an important step in preventing similar future tragedies, in keeping with the notion that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

The Cafesjian Museum

The Cafesjian Center for the Arts is dedicated to bringing the best of contemporary art to Armenia and presenting the best of Armenian culture to the world. Inspired by the vision of its founder, Gerard L. Cafesjian, the Center offers a wide variety of exhibitions, derived from the Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection of contemporary art. Having celebrated its grand opening in November 2009, CCA continues to exhibit unique works of modern art and offers a diverse program of lectures, films, concerts, and numerous educational initiatives for adults and children. Over one million people have visited the Center annually since its opening.